964.8 miles

chris and i are both feeling kinda bummed today.  we had such a fun whirlwind trip visiting beca, doug, sammy and patrick, and seeing tennessee, a peek of georgia, and asheville, north carolina.  we're happy to be back with flojo and kona, but knowing that the tumbleweeds are 7 hours away has us feeling lonesome; it can be bittersweet having such rad friends to hang out with.

i didn't take a ton of pictures at the southern blogger mixer mainly because i was too busy eating plate after plate of delicious hors d'oeuvres, but to see more of the event, the food, the people, and the project, you should peek at beca's blog.  i am super, super shy until i can feel people out and see what they're like, so i was really nervous going to the mixer.  it was a great group of girls though, and it was so nice doing blog talk with people that understood!  i think the smaller group made for better discussion, and it made the event more intimate, like a lunch date with friends.

we decided to go home from tennessee via asheville, north carolina, which wasn't really on the way, but it's somewhere chris and i have wanted to visit.  our friend patrick met us in downtown asheville and gave us a tour and local architecture history lesson before we ate a late lunch/early dinner at a delicious thai restaurant.  i could actually go for another plate of phad pak right now...

964.8 miles later, i'm wishing we could be on our way back with flojo and kona in tow, of course, that way we could stay until we decided to come home.  it must be tennessee wanderlust.

the raddest accessory: a tumbleweeds giveaway

who wants to be a million times more awesome?  then you need these sunglasses.  my friends at tumbleweeds handcraft not only let me co-design a pair of sunglasses, but they were generous enough to offer up a pair of the danielle clubmasters to one lucky winner!  see the entry rules below to get your name in the drawing!

the danielle clubmaster sunglasses are handcrafted with walnut and maple inlays on the temples and arms, and are offered in a super limited quantity (aside from this giveaway), which makes them even more special!

here's how to enter:
1 entry (MANDATORY): leave a comment with your email addy or some way for me to contact you if you win.

additional entries (leave a separate comment for each):
-visit the tumbleweeds shop and leave a comment telling me your favorite item.
-tweet about this giveaway and leave me a link to the tweet.
-follow the tumbleweeds blog and leave a comment letting me know you did (or already do).
-follow this blog and leave a comment letting me know you did.
-leave a comment telling me what your dream sunglasses would look like if you could design them.

i feel like such a celebrity

i'm SO excited to finally be able to share this secret with you guys - i've been working with two of my favorite people (beca and doug) on one amazing pair of sunglasses to be sold in limited quantities.  and how exciting is it that they're named after me?!  amazing, right?!  i feel famous.  they're currently on sale on fab, and i'd be lying if i said i hadn't checked two ten or more times to see if they'd sold out.

the danielle sunglasses are handcrafted with walnut and maple in the clubmaster style, and i think my favorite part is the two-tone arms.  as always, it was so much fun working with tumbleweeds (because it's no secret i'm beca's number one internet stalker, i mean fan), and being able to see the finished product as well as the other blogger-designed styles!

now i know what you're probably thinking; 1. wow, those danielle sunglasses are fantastic.  you'd be right, they ARE fantastic.  2. these pictures look a lot better than what i'm used to seeing on danielle's blog.  you'd be right again, and i can thank mr. douglas switalski the first, photography master inc., tm, etc. for making me look like a model!  i felt like i was drunk on giggle juice though because i hate being in front of the camera, but that doug is one talented guy to take pictures that don't make me look nearly as awkward as i felt!

the best four days

i feel that as far as my emotions go, it's either all or nothing.  so, at the risk of sounding like a crazy person, i have to tell you that i'm in such a funk after having the best four days; i don't want to work or even think about it - i only want to look at pictures.  chris and i headed to washington, d.c. on saturday (after a stressful morning that i'll tell you about later) to hang out with beca, doug, danielle, andrew, sarah, and josh, and came home on sunday evening after eating the best food, and seeing the sights...

beca and doug followed us from d.c. to our house to stay with us until tuesday afternoon, and it's so weird without them here.  and kind of lonely.  we thrifted, ate, watched dexter, ate, baked cinnamon rolls (actually beca baked them and i stood in the kitchen and talked), rode through the woods on the trails, and ate.  surprisingly, flojo didn't even want to attack them, and kona's been asking when they're coming back.

chris and i both just enjoyed the last few days so much because these are awesome friends that know how to have fun and don't expect us to wear filters or put on airs, and that's so refreshing.  we found great treasures thrifting (and chris posed that plastic rabbit and put it with beca & doug's box of finds), and we can't wait to do it again (and hopefully danielle and andrew can come, too)!  it seemed like the countdown to the day we left for d.c. was never-ending, but those four days went by so quickly.  i just can't convey how much we enjoyed it, and i wish we could make a monthly thing of it!  you can see more (and much more attractive) pictures on beca's flickr page.

what i'd like to be wearing

no, it's not mint green skinny jeans, zara heels, sheer blouses or arm parties; what i'd like to be wearing are these awesome vintage finds and handmade pieces!  it's probably a little nuts that i spent the morning browsing the internet for all of the things i'd like to have after i spent the weekend going through closets and drawers getting rid of all the things i don't need!  i may have a problem...

from the top: vintage dress, booties, sunglasses, purse, blouse, ring, panties, dress

aside from cleaning out clothes and shoes i don't need, i also cleaned the rest of my house (yay) and ate ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, and ice cream.  oh, and watched movies.  it was a pretty low key weekend, but that's how i like it!  how was your weekend?

fly, fly away: an outfit post

you won't see me wearing jeans often, and that's because i don't like them and they don't like me. genetics deprived me of the highly-coveted twig thighs, and because of that i always think jeans make me look ridiculous. but sometimes i'm just too lazy to shave my legs so it's a jean day whether i like it or not. sometimes it's also a good day to pretend you're a bird (translation: if you're prone to falling, like me, just play it off like you've got wings and are flying) and maybe people won't recognize you're actually clumsy as show in exhibit a:

sweater: target, bird blouse: vintage/gift from beca, belt: vintage/thrifted, jeans: target, boots: vintage/thrifted

yes, i was actually falling in the first picture, but it looks like i was just enjoying a day of flapping, right? i thought it only fitting seeing as how i was wearing a shirt covered in birds. speaking of that shirt, i got a package from my good pal beca, and in it was that awesome shirt, plus an AMAZING pair of sunglasses from the tumbleweeds new spring line! i cartwheeled and air punched for hours after opening it, because how much better can a package get?!

so how was your weekend? mine was really nice. chris was gone from about 6am to 10pm on saturday which meant i had the house all to myself; the perfect setting for watercolor painting and singing songs from grease. on sunday we did what we always do when we have date day: we ate too much, then followed it up with an unhealthy dose of eating some more. we also planned where we're going next week for lunch, and my mouth is already watering thinking about the roasted red pepper humus. now you can see why i'm so anal about staying on schedule with running.

i hope you're having a nice start to your week, and to make it a little brighter, be sure to enter yourself to win the $25 gift card giveaway before it ends on wednesday!

navy dress number two: an outfit post

the last time i wore this dress, carla and beca said they'd like to see it worn three ways, and when my friends want something, something they shall receive. i knew that today i wanted to wear shoes that were flat (thanks to a new pair of shoes that left a blister on one of my toes no smaller than the state of virginia) and my new tights. and then i figured, well, if i'm wearing comfy shoes, why not go ahead and show comfort who's boss by wearing clothes that are almost as good as pajamas? enter the navy dress worn the second way.

sweater: target (gift from chris), dress: lulu's (gift from myself), sweater tights: target (gift from chris, necklace: maurice's (gift from my sister), boots: vintage/thrifted, camera used: olympus (gift from beca) i pretty much wanted to just add gift to everything to let the givers know how much i appreciate it :)

as i was wearing this outfit, feeling like i could fall asleep, i decided two things: 1. it's good to wear when you're bloated and sucking in doesn't help, and 2. it's good to wear when you know you're going to eat too much and you can't suck in even if you want to. oh yeah, that's my kind of outfit - the kind that transitions from everyday to over-eaters anonymous seamlessly. i also painted my fangurnails last night because i'm really starting to like grey polish. also, today is the first time i've worn my hair down and straightened in about three weeks. yeah, now i remember why i don't straighten it more often...

and one last thing. i don't know if you read beca's blog (if you don't, you should), but i was so excited a month or so ago when she told me that she was getting a violin for christmas, and then yesterday she posted a video of herself playing! i played a violin for years and years, and still have one but don't play often thanks to the nerve damage that came from drilling a hole through my finger (it's pretty painful), so i couldn't wait to hear how she was coming along and what she'd learned, etc. then when i found out that she's moving to tennessee and playing a violin, my brain just automatically made my start thinking of beca when i listened to this song and vice versa. they're both awesome. wow, i talked a lot about beca, didn't i? i'm her stalker.

these just make my face happy.

hey friends! i hope your weekend was as cram packed full of sheer awesomeness as mine was. you want to know one really exciting thing that happened on saturday? when i went to the mailbox i saw that there was a package from my sweet friend beca, and before i even opened it i was giggling and squealing like a school girl around boys. i wasted no time ripping in to it to discover i had my very own pair of wood grain sunglasses! WOOOOO! some women like diamonds and manicures, but not me, i much prefer sunnies! i'm still so excited, and i couldn't wait to take pictures to share. the sunglasses beca makes are not only awesome and unique, but totally unisex uniSEXY, and even look good on dogs!

awesome, right? you can find them in beca's shop in different styles and colors! and can you believe she makes them?! i'm impressed. so is kona...or maybe he's just a stoner (which he seriously looks like in that picture).

well, i'm putting on my big girl pants and acting like an adult tonight (if all goes well) because i'm going to a book club this evening, and i'm pretty nervous. i know one person, sarah, but the rest are strangers, so wish me luck! since my mouth has no filter and not everyone gets my sense of humor, i realize it's a possibility i could make a complete fool of myself...

GIVEAWAY from tumbleweeds!

here's a fun little giveaway courtesy of beca from tumbleweeds oddities shop for the vintage or handmade lover! up for grabs is one of these awesome handmade leather bracelets like the ones in beca's shop as well as a vintage mushroom candle! this giveaway is open to all friends worldwide! be sure to check out beca's shop and her blog, too.

here are the rules for entering!

-leave one comment telling me your favorite item from beca's shop for one entry.
-leave one comment if you follow beca's blog for one additional entry.
-leave one comment if you purchased something from beca's shop for three additional entries.
-be sure to leave your email address so we can contact the winner!

COUPON CODE!!! for the duration of this giveaway, beca was kind enough to offer FREE shipping on items in her shop to readers with the coupon code dinotoes

meet our sponsor: tumbleweeds oddities

i'm so excited for you to get to know beca, half of the tumbleweeds team! she's got great style, she's super sweet, and she can thrift things the rest of us only dream of! if you haven't seen them already, she has a blog as well as an etsy shop with handmade and thrifted finds. i was lucky enough to get a package from her last week because she's just that rad.

1. tell us where you're from and where you currently live. We're southern babies. Doug was born in Belle Chase, LA and I am from Decatur, GA. And yes, we both say ya'll often and without shame. I moved to Arizona just shy of 5, and Doug in his early teen years, however, both of our families are split between Florida and Arizona. We met in Tucson and started a life together. We recently packed our home, 3 dogs, a giant cat and our beta fish named Jack into a 1979 Dodge van and moved to beautiful Southern California. San Diego has been good to us so far.

2. what do you think an ideal vacation would be if money were no object? We often talk about going to Tasmania in search of the elusive Tasmanian Tiger. And also, have you seen their coat of arms! So neat! But really, our dream vacation would be to take a summer and travel coast to coast of our incredible country in search of the best flea markets, estate sales and junk stores to fill our shop with treasures. Someday you may find us in our van with a little trailer attached cruising the back roads with our brood.

3. describe your design and decorating style and where you find inspiration. We're gypsies at heart, and the styling of our home reflects that immensely. We work where we live and we surround ourselves with an eclectic collection of muted folk art, tapestries, taxidermy and stacks of wood and leather. The design of our shop is very similar. Our photos are backed by warm browns and natural lighting, recycled paper confetti and recovered metal letters. The tags and business cards are made from wood. We use a lot of burlap and raw cotton and recovered suede in our packaging and our handmade items. Like true gypsies, we also incorporate bright pops of colors and rich textures. I think the both of us find inspiration from our family. I am incredibly lucky, both grandfathers are craftsmen, my Dad and older brother are carpenters, and every woman in my family is a handy with a needle and thread or yarn. The story is pretty much the same for Doug. His Sister is the best treasure hunter I have ever known. She puts the rest of us to shame!

4. if you could spend time with an icon or celebrity, past or present, who would it be and what would you do? Doug says, and I quote "Morgan Freeman, and just chill." As for me, probably Stephen King. I'm such a nerd and I love his books and movies. You wouldn't believe the countless times I defended his screen writing while I was in film school! And I would let him use our guest pass to the zoo, because it would probably be pretty neat to go to the zoo with Stephen King, right?

5. how did you get into vintage, and what do you look for when you're on the hunt? I have been obsessed with vintage since I was a young teenager and discovered that I could get more junk for less money at thrift stores. I guess I was (am?) kind of a hoarder..ahem...collector, and as a kid, collected books, old photobooth photos, cameras, weird paintings, other peoples journals, records, animal figurines, you get the picture. Doug really has the eye though. He can spot vintage-scientific-cat-organs-in-resin from 200 yards away through the red sea of junk and trash and cheap Chinese straw hats. When we go treasure hunting, we usually keep a list of what people are looking for, and things that we have seen a trend in. I like finding special treasures that people request or I know that our customers are looking for. Mostly though, we just look for stuff we like, pieces of American history, folk art, oddities, curiosities and the like. Albeit, we always take requests and will always work extra hard to find those special treats for anyone who asks.

please tell us 5 interesting facts about yourself that you think we should know.
-all of our animals are black and white.
-Doug's last photography show was all macro insect portraits.
-Our last three vehicles have been from the 1970s - a Dodge Dart, a Ford F-150 and our current beast, the Dodge Van.
-I have an irrational fear about spiders laying eggs in my face...thanks to the book "Scary Stories III."
-We have a killer rock collection that has been combined from my Grandpa, his Dad, and our own adventures.